Universal Combat: The Silent War
by Raziel
Summary: Outcast, and shunned by all, she leads a fight against the governments hounding her. As the galaxy looks onward, no one sees the destruction happening from within. The true fight. The Silent War.
1. The Blood of Patriots and Tyrants

1  
_"Take my love. Take my land.  
Take me where I cannot stand.  
I don't care, I'm still free.  
You can't take the sky from me."_1

GCV Timestamp: 0030 Hrs 10-31-3082  
System: Polaris  
Sector: Polaris-1  
Vessel: Warmonger Class Super Cruiser  
Designation: _Difference of Opinion_

"Supreme Commander, Hadden2would againlike to extend it's thanks to you for acting personallyto deal with the escalating pirate situation. "

Supreme Commander Karl Reines' continued glad-handing the Hadden liaison for a few moments more, but mentally turning over recent events. The whole thing stank, that much was obvious, but he could not put his finger on what was so wrong.

His alarm chirruped. It was time for his shift. Absently he passed through corridors and by crew, lost in a flood of data and after-action reports.

"Admiralty on the Deck!" called the Watch Officer, snapping a taunt salute.

"Anything to report?"

"Not much,sir. We had a few false alerts, caused by some rogue bodies. TacScan estimated they were left over debris from a comet. They have been ambling at about 50km/s, occasionally slipping out of detection, but have been holding course steady. However as precaution, I had the ship make a quick evasive maneuver with sensors full active. No change in analysis. We will bypass them in a few moments as we end our patrol and enter the jump point."

"Very well. You are relived." The W.O. snapped another crisp salute and tiredly headed toward the lift. A flash of insight shot through the Reines' mind. Ambling bodies.

"Lieutenant !" He called to the W.O., "when were the bodies first detected?"

"Approximately two hours ago, 360 k by k3distant._"  
_

It all fit, if a target was effectively stationary or going to a fixed point…it could be sighted at visual range….Which would mean..

" Navop Emergency Thrust, Activate PT-"

"_WARNING, ACQUIRED! _

_WARNING, ACQUIRED! _

_WARNING, ACQUIRED! _Screeched the computer, far, far too late.  
Status displays winked from emerald to amber in an instant. The ship rumbled and shook, electronics sparked and flared, screams intertwined with frantic damage reports. The hull was breached in multiple sections, reactor containment was failing. The flagship of GalCom, mortally wounded in only a few seconds of engagement. The bleak irony of it all drew a sardonic smile to his lips.

_WARNING, ACQUIRED!  
WARNING, ACQUIRED!_

Gazing through the mangled viewer, he could almost see her amongst the stars.

"Damn you, Kyra…"

Universal Combat:_  
The Silent War_

Chapter 1:  
_The Blood of Patriots and Tyrants_

GCV Timestamp: 0800 Hrs 5-22-3081  
System: Sol  
Sector: Earth  
Vessel: Peacekeeper Class, Heavy StarBase  
Designation: GalComHQ_ (aka Arrant Judgement)_

_-------------------_

"The Imperium will not tolerate this situation for long. This...murderer must be handed over-"

Sounds, voices in the dark. It was all a jumble, no distinction between the past and the now.

"Death to the Butcher!"

"Stop him! Don't let him near the life s-"

Timeless nothing, ebbing unto light. The world slowly coalesced before Kyra, but somehow off center. Her hand found the reason. Massaging the dry flesh of her face, a patch covered her right eye.

"Events have been rather pressing of late, we haven't been able to schedule the expected

regeneratives."

The source of the voice was one in need of regeneration himself, a sloppily cut suit drapped over an aged ailing frame. His two canes and portly stomach did little to add to this image of perfect health.

"Of course, considering the current political climate, I daresay it fits the persona thrust upon you."

"What do you mean old man?"

"Hmph. What a tired cliche. Back up and start again, even with one eye it should be obvious.".

Annoying as refusal was, the old man was right. A quick glance around the room told Kyra all she needed to know. No windows, one exit blocked by a heavy door, numerous obvious recording devices backed up by innumerable ones concealed. It was cell, pure and simple. Question was why? The answer was just as obvious as before.

"Gammula? A GC nation?"

A sly smile spread. "Correct. For the most part" He added reservedly "The Gammulan _Imperium _is a GC state, the Hegemony of Bandit Kingdoms however, is another story." A sharp clang signaled the unbolting of an extremely heavy lock.

"Excuse me sir,"tThe bulky yet timid orderly interjected, "The visiting time is long past expired."

"Very well." With a heavy grunt, he lifted himself upright upon the two canes. "We'll be in touch Kyra, and I'll have a terminal installed, so that you can catch up on current events."

With a plodding shuffle, the old man headed out of the room. In the midst of the door well, he stopped, glancing over his shoulder to her.

"I rather abhor tired cliches, but this once I'll indulge you. "

For a few sparse moments they held each others gaze until she reluctantly broke the silence. "Who are you?"

"I've had several names over the years, some not as polite as others," He said with a wry smile" but amongst friends as you soon will be, I am Kettle Belly" He said patting his paunch. "Until then you can call me what the rest of the world does. S. R. Hadden".

------------------------------

GCV Timestamp: 0930 Hrs 5-30-3081

The eyes lining the chamber were all upon her. Withering, hate-filled gazes trying to bore holes into her being. Her solitary eye blinked with a casual, resigned calm, totally without fear for the deathly intent surrounding her.

"The Tribunal will now reconvene." Silence fell instantly throughout the chamber, so deeply the respect for the Galcom's large ebony commander was felt. "Today begins the preliminary testimony of the accused, Commander Kyra Elorian of the heavy cruiser _Surprise_. This inquiry is pertaining to the events leading to the illegal obtainment and subsequent unauthorized release of a R.A.N.D.O.M 4_class _OTS missile upon Denib, the second moon of Gammula Prime. For the benefit of the media observers, let me reiterate; the subsequent damage and casualties will not be included among the charges."

"If-" he continues loudly above the roaring dissent " and only if the accused is court martialed, will she-"

Even the Supreme Commander's deep baritone could no longer drown out the escalating protests. None of it mattered, it was all pro-forma, a show of formality and order for the allies. In a way, Kyra knew this would be how it would be, if she had somehow made it back home.

It was a suicide job, she knew it as soon as she received the summons to Supreme Commander Reines' quarters. No mere Commander, not even one of the (in)famous Elorian sisters, got a personal summons to see the S.C. It just wasn't done and yet here it was.

Nothing of what he revealed was comforting, most of it which she already deduced from the rumor mill and variousreports. At least the weight of insecurity was gone and his total honesty blunted the impact.

GalCom was only a few short months from total collapse. Defeat after defeat at the hands of the Gammulan Republic was taking the resources and morale of the alliance beyond the breaking point. In the next coming days, the Vesperons would publically secede from the alliance in an attempt to save something of their territory. Other nations would certainly follow suit, several already had 'secret' treaties.

Pushing the multitude of -eyes only- reports and files aside, she stared into his eyes and simply said. "Just tell me where and how sir". Shock momentarily shaped his features at her ready ascent without him stating what was needed, but it was fairly clear and implicit. GalCom needed a dramatic victory to galvanize ally morale and potentially put GalCom on even negotiating terms with Gammula.

With a few key strokes, the holo-display flicked on projecting the nav map of explored stars. A few more strokes, and the Terran quadrant was highlighted, the remainder winked out. The image focused and zoomed on the Polaris sector.

"As you already know, in the Polaris sector lies the singularity to the Credian Quadrant. What you and hopefully the Gammulans don't know, is that just within the solar envelope of the Polarian sun lies a second singularity. We have reason to believe that it leads not only into the Gammulan quadrant, but the Gammulan system itself."

Kyra frowned " The singularity must not only be improperly mapped but unstable even for a singularity, or you would have exploited this already. So would the Gammulans for that matter."

"Correct on all points. Nearly 300 years ago at the height of the Terran Diaspora, the Pilgrim charting ship 'Kitten's Paw' experienced multiple systems failure in the midst of the Polaris system. By the time the Captain, a C. Blair, was quickened from cryo sleep, the ship was irreparably locked into the stars pull.

Its partner ship the _Cylrah_, noted that just before all contact was lost, that Blair frantically stated that his instruments were detecting a faint singularity near their position, just within the envelope and he would try to navigate it.

The _Cylrah_ later performed some sensors sweeps in the designated coordinates, but predictably found nothing. They chalked up Blair's final message due to desperate hope and sensor echoes caused by the prominent singularity to Credia they later plotted.

Flash forward one hundred years to our first contact with the Gammulans, much to our surprise they already knew quite a bit about our physiology already and some of our history. It was naturally attributed to their vast intelligence network. However, we do have eighth and ninth hand intelligence that the Gammulans learned of us through the capture of a fatally damaged Terran exploration vessel. The crew was dead and the computers fried beyond recovery long before they found it. However the bodies were in a condition enough to be studied, along with a sizable stash of some rather ancient and esoteric reading materials, specifically bound books.

Something that odd, would certainly stick out on a ships manifest and in during the time period, there has only been one vessel with enough physical books to warrant a listing upon the manifest. The '_Kitten's Paw'. _It's to our fortune, that the Gammulans were not ablerecover anything more from the 'Paw' then some copies of Mark Twain. In the earnst to conquer the galaxy, they never followed up on the mystery on how a Terran ship could have appeared derelict within the Gammulan system.

Sensor technology and our understanding of the singularities has progressed a lot since the time of the '_Paw _and _Cylrah_. If there is a jump point, we can find it, and hopefully stabilize it enough for ships to pass through. I want you, Kyra, to lead a fleet through, and bring Gammula to the bargaining table. By any means."

Without a moment's hesitation, Kyra stood and snapped a taut salute "Yes, Sir"

------------------------------

GCV Timestamp: 1930 Hrs 5-30-3081

Two Canes was already waiting for her in the room as she came from the Tribunal.

"They certainly are setting you up for a huge fall." He said nodding at the broadcast playing upon the wallscreen.

"That maybe, but even so my hands are anything but clean. I did my best to reduce the collateral damage. By shattering Denib, I destroyed Gammula while still giving the civilians a chance to live. I do a lot of terrible things as a soldier, but Im not a monster." She gave a derisive snort. " I would love to say it was their stubbornness against leaving that caused the massacre, but I'm not that callous. I know their blood is on my hands and upon GalCom. If it takes my execution to rinse the taint, then I accept it gladly."

"You are a rare soul Kyra. In another time and place, you would have made a fine samurai. Galcom doesn't deserve you." He said sorrowfully.

"Mr Ha...Kettle Belly-" she started with a thin smile, her hand running across her belly "We've become close in the last week and I hope I won't broach upon that friendship with this request. When the time comes, could you see to it that my child is well taken care of? So that it gets to see the peace I fought for?

"Child?" Shock passed on the immutable old man's face for the first time.

"Yes. Fraternizing is frown upon, but when we were marrooned on Gammula, my crew found comfort in each others arms." She gave a small smirk " I was no exception. It's all I have left of Resnig now."

"Kyra..."

"I know it's a lot to ask so suddenly, but if today is any sign. It won't be long before I'm executed."

A small tear leaked from the old man's eye. "My god Kyra...didn't they tell you?"

"Tell me what?" She squeaked with tired trepidation.

"The embryo...the child absorbed too much radiation during the your flight home. It died, but because of your multitude of injuries, it was never purged from your system. It began to literally rot inside you and an infection set to your womb. The doctors had to remove it."

"You lie."

"Never, dear girl. Look under your bandages."

Her hands quaked uncontrollably, despite her fanatically attempt to tear off the bandages around her midsection. He had to be lying her mind screamed...but he was not. The scar was a thin healing scar across her lower abdomen. Her hands pressed into her flesh, expecting that certain feel, she had grown up with. It wasn't there, just a subtle intangible emptiness.

Hadden looked into the young woman's eyes and in that sad instant when the truth finally sank in, he could actually see her mind finally snap. It took eight orderlies in order to pin Kyra long enough for the sedatives to silence her raging screams.

----------------------

1 "_The Ballad of Serenity", FireFly Lyrics by Joss Whedon  
_

2 _Hadden (Industries): A terran based mega-corparation. Since the Diaspora it contains business interests with nearly every known race. Rumored to be a member of 'The Movement'_

_3 360 K by K: 360,000(360k) Kilometers (Normally abbreviated Km. Navy crews tend to us K instead)_

4 **R.A.N.D.O.M** - Random Access Nuclear Disruptor For Obsolete Matter

A highly devastating weapon, fired from orbit like a normal OTS (orbit to surface) weapon. Normally upon impact, it will destroy everything on the planet leaving it totally barren and altering its topology, weather, ozone layer etc. However, in the case of the Gammulan Massacre, the missile was fitted with a burrowing head and its tremendous force was used to shatter Denib from within.


	2. Die Another Day

1_In a violent world  
Where deception's free  
Things I can't control  
Taking over me  
Did they try to take  
My identity  
So what the hell  
Have they done to me!_1

Chapter 2:

**Die Another Day**

The minor wit in the name the place did little to distract Eara from the outright filth of the Down Under. The smolder of the myriad tokes seemed to be seeping into every pore, the fumes of alcohol making her head swim all the more.

_I lookin for a dime, that's top of the line...cute face, little waist and a big-_

Only 5 miles beneath the surface of the Moon could one find music this horrible. Before her a stripper, gyrated and grinded to the beat, baiting forth roaring catcalls from the patrons. As they encouraged her with generous amounts of credits, Eara groaned inwardly.

'Please don't be her..Please don't be her...ah...frell.'

Aside for two rather prominent alterations, the stripper was a mirror image of Eara.

Gods...I think they compete to be the black sheep of the family. "LYRA!" she screamed over the blaring, throbbing room. Upon hearing her right name, the dancer stopped mid-removal, to the rumbling protests of the patrons. One of the larger and angrier customers made a grab for Lyra intending to force her to continue. One would have thought he was being murdered from his screams, as opposed to simply two shattered arms.

Eara's head sank in resignation. "At least something's haven't changed sis. Speaking of which, why are you working here and what's with...those?"

"When you've managed to be dishonorably discharged from both GalCom and the Tank Police, not many places will hire you, at least not places that pay well." She shrugged without concern. "As for these, well all that muscle work is a bit hard on a girls body fat. I got tired of looking like a muscle-bound tent pole."

Eara flopped heavily into a nearby booth. "I don't think I want to know how you managed to get kicked out of the Tank Police. The details are probably wild, sordid and possibly include a lot of collateral damage."

Lyra stuck her tongue out ."And you would be correct, but you're not here to chat about how I'm doing. You want to talk about baby sis."

Eara nodded "I've been put in charge of the investigation Supreme was working on before he was killed. While there isn't any evidence as of yet, the whole thing just reeks of Kyra."

"True enough, but I don't see how this involves me. You know Kyra better than I do. Hell, you diapered her for Mikes sake."

" I know the old Kyra, but now...She's totally flipped."

"Can you blame her? She lost her eye, her child and was screwed over by GC and Supreme."

"I sympathize for for her pain, but I can't let it inhibit me from putting end to this slaughter and destruction she's stirring up. Which is why I am here" Eara sighed and removed a small case from her jacket. "By my authority as GC Fleet Commander, I'm restoring you to active service under the rank of Lieutenant with all rights, privileges and pay. You'll be commanding what I have been able to gather of your old platoon."

Lyra started in clear surprise. "The Ruff Ryders?"

"Mhm"

"Generous of you. Why?"

"Kyra and the pirates are using weapons and tactics that are beyond all normal conventions. I need someone unconventional to combat this, someone who isn't afraid to get wild and sordid."

"Looks like I'm your girl then." Lyra said with a laugh

"Good...but could you put some clothes on first?" Resignedly out Lyra's current lack of apparal

"If I must." Lyra said with mock annoyance. As Lyra disappeared into the back, Kyra thumbed a nearby terminal, quickly whisking past various illegitimate services and advertisements before settling upon the news stream.

_Welcome to GCNN, GalCom Network News! Fast, First, Reliable._

Today's Top Story:

**Supreme Commander Murdered!**

During a special patrol to quell the rising pirate threat, Supreme Commander Karl Reines and all hands onboard the GC Flagship _Difference of Opinion_, were slaughtered by an unknown assailant.

The swiftness and thorough brutality of the attack leads many to speculate as to the identity of the attacker. Claims range from the recently escaped Butcher of Gammula, Kyra Elorian, to a possible reprisal from the Bandit Kingdoms.

The only thing officials have been able to agree upon, is that they will spare no expense in finding the murderer swiftly.

More details available...**Would You Like to Know More?**

**Yamagata Heavy Assembly Acquisition Formally Finallized.**

While details and assets had been handed over a sometime ago, the final contracts were signed today to make the Yamagata Corporation a subsidiary of Hadden Industries. During the past, Yamagata had been the backbone of Terran space exploration and in recent years the main manufacturer of GalCom's vessels. It is unknown at the moment, if Yamagata will continue to manufacture ships, or if its contracts will be dispersed amongst the Hadden Conglomerate.

More details available...**Would You Like to Know More?**

**Gammulan Imperium Requests Additional Aid**

During a closed session of the GC council, the Gammulan Imperium requested another 10 billion credits in economic and relief aid. Citing the costs in rescuing and relocating the populace of the increasing hazardous planet of Gammula Prime. While the largest shards of Denib have already struck, the more numerous smaller debris rains down in great torrents. Additionally the unbalanced tidal strain is turning the planets weather system into a temperamental hell. Hurricanes of ice, and shearing planetquakes are not uncommon, making the rescue of the 1 billion estimated people still on the planets surface a roll of the dice.

More details available...**Would You Like to Know More?**

----------------------------------------------

GCV Timestamp: 0700 Hrs 6-05-3081  
System: Sol  
Sector: Earth  
Vessel: Peacekeeper Class, Heavy StarBase  
Designation: GalComHQ_ (Arrant Judgement)_

Buried in the encompassing dark she sat. Still and rank with the stench of excreta one would have taken her for dead, if not for her occasional racking sobs. Truly this was one lost of the will to live.

This sensory assault greeted Hadden as he hobbled into the detention cell.. Her lonely, weary eye rolled up to match his gaze.

"Come to finish what you started?" Though simply said, truth and contempt of it pierced Hadden's heart. Resting upon his canes, the old man studying the broken woman before him.

"Kyra, as soldier you told me, you had done things in which you are not proud off. Even in the midst of a desperate situation, you held on to a code of honor. I can hardly say my history is spotless, but even amongst the horrid, I held on to an ideal..a bar in which I would stoop no lower. My intentions were plain from the day we first spoke, but no matter how desperately I wanted you, would I do such a thing. Sadly, you have only my word to trust Kyra."

The mismatched pair held each others gaze, shrouded by the silent dark for a time seemingly unending. As tears streamed from her eye, Kyra finally broke the calm.

"I want them to pay. I want them to pay for that I lost. My friends, my crew, my..." Her words becoming unintelligible amidst the anguish.

"I know, dear girl. I know. Come, stand up, lets get you cleaned up. I have something that will salve your hurts. It's not your day to die."

--------------------------

GCV Timestamp: 1230 Hrs 2-03-3077  
System: Polaris  
Sector: Polarian Star  
Vessel: Battle Cruiser Mk3 Class, Heavy Cruiser  
Designation: _Surprise_

"All fleet ships have achieved stations keeping orbit with us, Commander" Ico reported, her eyes never leaving the NavCon display. Though a replacement fresh from OCS2Ico was proving to be one of the finest astrogators Kyra had evertoured with. However, Kyra had a nagging suspicion her inexperience was going to be a liability in the coming moments.

"Burst message incoming from the science team, Commander" shouted the Comm officer. Kyra let out a small sigh of annoyance, while one of the oldest crewman of the _Surprise_, Mavin was nonetheless a very jumpy and excitable fellow.

" Science team reports that they have located the singularity. Unfortunately, it is so far within the sun's solar envelope that a stabilizing bracket would not be possible to insert. Additionally, the lead scientist wants to note, that even if it was possible to insert a bracket, the singularity is of a such poor and unstable fashion that it wouldn't do much good."

Kyra let out a long string of choice profanities, somehow managing to make the salted Marine XO Resnig blush. Taking a deep breath, and then another, she tapped the fleet signal band upon her command console.

"This is Commander Kyra to Fleet, by now you have already recieved the message from the science team. I don't have to tell you that it is terrible news, but it doesn't change our mission. We are going to Gammula Prime and we are going to make them squeal. All ships warm up systems to full and prepare to navigate the singularity... manually. Kyra out"

A silence filled the room, that was almost certainly echoed amidst twenty-nine other vessels. Resnig turned to her and after a moment of contemplation bellowed

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR FLIPPIN' MIND! We aren't pilgrims! No one's navigated a singularity without a bracket in almost 200 years! Let alone one that's unstable and buried inside a ruddy star!"

Kyra smiled at him "Looks like we are going to be putting some marks on the history books then." Resting her hand upon the shoulder of Ico, she motioned for the terrified girl to leave her post. "They don't exactly teach this sort of thing at OCS Ico, it's something that needs to be done by the seat of the pants. Take my seat and relay my coordinates to the fleet. Do your best to adjust them for the ships immediately behind us."

"Yes, ma'am" Ico said with obvious relief.

Sitting in the nav seat, brought back old memories, but it wasn't a time to daydream. Her hands flew across the controls and display, bringing up necessary systems, and preliminary calculations.

Under normal conditions navigating a jump point singularity is merely trivial exercise. Simply signal the stabilizing bracket and all the relevant data is encoded into the ships computers. However an uncharted singularity, must be precisely calculated by hand. An astrogator must sift through the flood of data from the intermitable fluxing field, for the exact moment which to execute the light speed flipover within the Horst Congruency3 A simple misplaced decimalwould end this mission in short order.

Her delicate fingers massaged her nose, a normally calming exercise, that sadly failed at this stressful juncture. With a resigned sigh, she Kyra turned her gaze to the instrument console.

"Navicom Voice Mode" She barked at the panel. She knew the system would rapidly become unreliable, but for a time it would be wise to have double check.

_Merlin Navicom A.I. Online-Voice Mode. Greetings, Commander. Please Enter Preliminary Jump Coordinates._

It's not entirely understood, just why sentients are able to plot jump coordinates more efficiently then an A.I. Somehow the imperfect and often muddled senses of beings unable to perceive more then three dimensions can feel the subtle variations, often preemptively. So as the gap between ship and Congruency, lessened rapidly, it didn't bother Kyra at all when Navicom could no longer keep up.

_Commander, I can no longer verify your jump coordinates. Please recompute._

Undeterred she rattled off coordinates at breathtaking speed, louder and louder over the Navicom's protests.

_Jump coordinates invalid. Please recompute._

"Commander..." Ico whimpered

"Sensors are being distorted by the stars pull. Navicom is no longer viable. Continue relaying coordinates to fleet."

_Jump coordinates invalid. Please recompute._

Alarms screamed throughout the ship, the seething flames of Polaris singed at the _Surprise's_ cermet skin. It was to late to return, they would jump or be cremated.

_Jump coordinates invalid. Please recompute._

"All hands brace for transition!" At the precisely determined point, the _Surprise_ winked out of existence. For an unending eternity, the crew of the _Surprise_ were torn apart, and shattered, agony unknown to those used to stable transitions.

And then it was over, millions of stars filled the display screens instead of a single massive one, and though completely exhausted by the harsh transition, the crew let out a unanimous cheer. They had done it, they were in the Gammula system. The reality of the situation, destroyed their jubilance twenty minutes later, when they realized that of the thirty vessels in the fleet they departed with only seven made it through.

-----------------------------------------

GCV Timestamp: 0800 Hrs 6-05-3081  
System: Sol  
Sector: Earth  
Vessel: Peacekeeper Class, Heavy StarBase  
Designation: GalComHQ_ (Arrant Judgement)_

He rose as best he could to greet Kyra, a warm smile concealing the pain and effort resulting from the gesture.

"You are looking better already My dear."

"Yes..Thank you." She murmured absently, her eye studying the small conference room.

" Please have seat._" _Haddenspoke making a small ceremony out of pulling out her chair. "Cocoa, with a little milk I believe?" His musing smile grew at her quizical surprise. The nearby dumbwaiter presenting two large warm mugs of just that.

As he sat heavily into his own chair, she took a small sip from the rich chocolate. It tasted better then she remembered, it had been so long since she had any. Trapped upon that polar cap , with most their supplies and amenities gone..Her solitary closed and she sighed with some content, inhaling the perfect aroma. Eventually her gaze opened and it fell upon the conference table. On the table lay a small stack of papers ... scratch notes really and small data pad. As she scanned across the top sheet of paper, the words scrawled upon them sent a chill through her as throorough as any polar winter.

"My... notes..." She stammered out.

That wicked Cheshire grin appeared upon Hadden. "It was always my view that you would have been one of the finest minds this culture of ours has ever produced, had formative events in your life gone differently. In spite of your command career, you managed to tackle one of the grails -as it were- of modern civilizations. While Im sad to say, you were quite a ways from completing it, your rather unorthodox approach to the problem provided paths and insights to scientists that had been stumped for centuries."

Kyra stared at him mouth partly agape, to which he his smile grew even larger. "After being missing for so long, GalCom considered you and your crew dead. In the process of weeding out any confidential materials amongst your personal effects, they found what you had been tinkering with. Within a short period of time, what was previously just conjecture and hurriedly scribbled fantasies on napkins, was turned into this- Lights!-" He called out. The room instantly became dark, a small holographic blueprint then loomed in front of her.

"Before you are the schematics of the galaxies first known Irrelevancy drive. Capable of transporting a vessel and it's crew to any point, instantaneously. Without the pressures of wormhole choke points, let alone the inherent dangers of such travel methods, the balance of power now dramatically and un-revocably shifts. With the ability, to flit around, as it wishes, GalCom has literally overnight become_ the _force in the Galaxy. However, like all good things Kyra, TAANSTAFL. The price of this particular 'free lunch', comes at the cost of immense size and power inefficiency."

Hadden manipulated the holo-display, so that it focused on the estimated proportions. Kyra inhaled sharply, the engine column was massive. No GalCom ship could mount a device of that size, let alone power it.

Continuing off her thoughts, Hadden spoke. "No class of GalCom vessel can accommodate such a device, no matter how wondrous it is. Well...almost." The holo cleared quickly and began to display ship schematics. "The BattleCruiser Mk. 6, _Nautilus_. Of course, as you can see, the BattleCruiser classification is vast understatement."

Understatement that it was...This ship was huge. It easily out-tonned the GC Flagship.

"Orignally conceived as a basic ship enlargement to combat the growing rumors and mythical reports of a class of Gammulan Super Dreadnaughts.. " Kyra contained a grimace, the Snakier was no rumor or myth.

"As construction time neared, the O.S.S4_ took control of the project. Implementing a number of long shelved but advanced projects, eventually culminating in the final design before you. With just enough space left over to fit, a bit snugly, the new prototype engine."_

_Her eyes scanned the details of the ship, there was so much to take in..but one thing just seemed to stand out...much like it did all that time ago with the Snakeir. "A ship of this size is too large to be constructed quietly, it would require a massive space dock, not mention the cost. The price tag for ship like this would stick out in the GC budget."_

"_True enough, but here is were you can take a lesson from politicians. First rule in government spending, why charge the taxpayers once, when you can bilk them twice. Only this time, they will do so willingly and with much enthusiasm."_

_Being surprised and perplexed around this man was quickly becoming a career. Realization of what he meant came quickly as the holodisplay changed once more. It was beautiful panoramic of Mars, the rusty red swirls contrasting sharply against the Black._

_The display began to slowly zoom in focusing on a section of the Martian ecliptic. The camera centered itself on what appeared to be minor shimmering light sources. The zoom jumped several magnification factors, showing the true nature of the sources. Kilometers and kilometers of shining metal. A vast ocean of derelict ships, in all stages of decay and repair._

"_The Kharak Graveyard" She muttered. The Graveyard of Kharak was site of the largest pre-Contact battle in human history. It was there that the U.N. Spacy had it's final battle with that of the Sol Rebellion. Though the Spacy won the battle, the damage it sustained martially and politically ensured it's dismantling several years later, paving the way for EarthCom._

_At the time, there was not enough funding nor desire to salvage the battlefield and as the year passed, it was mostly forgotten save for a few sparse paragraphs in history texts. After the formation of GalCom, interest was renewed in the site. However instead of salvaging the hulking wrecks, it was turned into an orbiting war museum. Many of the ancient war ships had been restored, and many more were in the process of being restored. In more recent times, the Kharak Graveyard was expanded to include, defunct or storied modern craft._

"_In the time you were away Kyra, the Graveyard has received many fresh additions, and most proudly several captured Gammulan warships. Most proudly of all, is that of a 'Gammulan' Super Dreadnaught._

_The Holo finished it zoom, locking it's view upon a massive craft, dwarfing all those around it. Despite the construction scaffolding and myriad support vessels obscuring much of it, there was no doubt. It was the Nautilus._

"_Though there have been many complaints of the sharp rise in prices and the large numbers of areas off limits due to restoration, tourism within the Graveyard is at an all time high, bringing in several billion credits annually. And there she lies for all the galaxy to see, and seeing how the only people who know the true design of the Super Dreadnaughts are either dead, or in such a position that they would never be able to point the error in mis-classification, it remains the largest and most elaborate Purloined Letter in history."_

_Had it been any other man, Kyra would have said that he couldn't be serious...but with Hadden..._

"_Though it was taken from the headlines because of your return and subsequent trial. It was proudly touted, that the Kharak restoration group had finally been granted permission to use GHQ's larger and more advanced service equipment to complete the 'restoration.' In truth the ship is being brought here to install the Irrelevancy Drive, and as with all GalCom shipwork is being preformed by Yamagata Heavy Assembly. Which also...Just so happens to be. A recently acquired, wholly owned subsidiary-_

"_-Of Hadden Industries." They finished together._

_That Cheshire grin returned and her heart skipped a beat. "She needs a Commander, Kyra. Care to go for a ride?"_

1_"With My Mind" by Cold_

2OCS: Officer Candidate School

3Horst Congruency (Jump Point/Singularity): A point in space, with strong and/or unusual gravity fluxuations. A sufficiently powered vessel, can

4O.S.S- Office of Strategic Services


End file.
